Katie Monahan Prudent in the induction ceremony for the Show Jumping Hall of Fame.
Katie Monahan Prudent was formally inducted into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame during a ceremony held at the CP National Horse Show in Lexington, KY on Saturday, November 4, 2016. Prudent was unable to attend when the Show Jumping Hall of Fame held its annual induction ceremony in June at The Devon Horse Show. This year’s other inductees included the late Elizabeth Busch Burke, who was formally inducted at Devon, and Susan Hutchison, who was inducted at the Blenheim June Classic Horse Show in San Juan Capistrano, CA.
The Show Jumping Hall of Fame pays tribute to select individuals whose contributions to the sport have set them apart and whose influence has had a significant impact on the sport of show jumping and the equestrian community. It is because of the talents, efforts and accomplishments of Prudent, Burke and Hutchison, and what they have brought to the sport, that the Election Committee, comprising some of the nation’s top riders, trainers and officials, voted them as this year’s inductees.
At the National Horse Show, Prudent received two specially inscribed items commemorating the occasion – a Tiffany crystal bowl and a specially commissioned silver pin with rubies, sapphires and diamonds. Formally inducting Prudent was David Distler, Treasurer, and Marty Bauman, Executive Director, of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame.
For more than two decades, Katie Monahan Prudent was one of show jumping’s most successful riders. Her riding career began at age five when she started showing in leadline classes. At first, she competed primarily in hunter and equitation classes where she excelled. In 1969 at the age of 15, Prudent achieved the dream of many junior riders when she won the ASPCA Maclay Finals, one of the youngest riders ever to win it. She then won the AHSA Medal Finals in 1972, making her one of the few to win both prestigious titles.
Following her junior years, Prudent’s career skyrocketed as she became a true sensation. She rode to dozens of grand prix wins across the United States and was equally successful in international competition. In the first-ever FEI World Cup™ Final, in Gothenburg, Sweden in 1979, she finished second after tying for first with Hugo Simon before losing a jump-off to him. She went on to ride in five more Finals in the 1980s.
Prudent dominated that decade of the ’80s as few other riders have been able to do. She was selected to the 1980 U.S. Olympic team but was denied the chance to compete because of the U.S. boycott. Instead, she rode on the U.S. Team at the Alternate Olympics in Rotterdam where she helped the team to a fifth place finish. She won the American Invitational three times aboard three different horses – Noren in 1983, The Governor in 1985, and Special Envoy in 1988. Prudent was also part of the United States’ Gold Medal team with Amadia at the 1986 World Championships in Aachen, Germany.
Prudent was named the American Grandprix Association (AGA) Rider of the Year three times in the ’80s (1982, 1986, and 1988) and in 1987 was awarded the Whitney Stone Cup for her superior record in international competition and for serving as anPrudent also achieved great success training and preparing young riders for top competition. In addition to her son, Grand Prix rider Adam Prudent, she has helped develop such top riders as two-time Olympic gold medalist and 2013 FEI World Cup™ champion Beezie (Patton) Madden; USEF veteran Kim Prince, the top U.S. finisher (5th) at the 2005 FEI World Cup™ Finals; Alison Firestone, 1999 Pan American Games team Silver Medalist and the top U.S. finisher at the 1998 World Equestrian Games; USEF veteran Elise Haas, who won the 1999 Amsterdam Grand Prix; and Reed Kessler, who became the youngest show jumping rider to compete in the Olympic Games when she rode for the U.S. in the 2012 Olympics in London. In 2000, Prudent was named Coach of the Year by the U.S. Olympic Committee.
Prudent maintains her base at her Plain Bay Farm in Middleburg, Virginia along with her husband Henri and son Adam. She has previously been honored with induction into the Show Hunter Hall of Fame.
Since 1987, the Show Jumping Hall of Fame has inducted William C. Steinkraus, Bertalan de Nemethy, Idle Dice (1987); Patrick Butler, August A. Busch, Jr. (1988); David Kelley, Jimmy Williams, Ben O’Meara, Frances Rowe (1989); Arthur McCashin, Kathy Kusner, Brigadier General Harry D. Chamberlin, San Lucas (1990); Adolph Mogavero, Whitney Stone, Morton “Cappy” Smith, Pat Dixon (1991); Eleonora “Eleo” Sears, Mary Mairs Chapot, Barbara Worth Oakford, Snowman (1992); Dr. Robert C. Rost, Joe Green (1993); Frank Chapot, Gordon Wright (1994); Mickey Walsh, Trail Guide (1995); Pamela Carruthers, Jet Run, Richard “Dick” Donnelly and Heatherbloom (1996); Edward “Ned” King, Bobby Egan and Sun Beau (1997); Fred “Freddy” Wettach, Jr., Melanie Smith Taylor, Johnny Bell (1998); Rodney Jenkins, Sinjon, Franklin F. “Fuddy” Wing, Jr. and Democrat (1999); George Morris, Carol Durand, Touch of Class (2000); Eugene R. Mische, Lt. Colonel John W. Russell, Bobby Burke, Untouchable (2001); Harry R. Gill, Clarence L. “Honey” Craven, Calypso, Gem Twist (2002); J. Russell Stewart, Sr., Main Spring (2003); Snowbound (2004); Michael Matz, For The Moment (2005); Conrad Homfeld (2006); Joe Fargis, Karen Golding, Marcia “Mousie” Williams (2007); Dr. John Steele, Abdullah, Miss Budweiser, Riviera Wonder (2008); Neal Shapiro, Balbuco (2009); John D. Ammerman, Leonard A. King, Jr., Good Twist (2010); Jane Forbes Clark, Gabor Nicholas Foltenyi, Hap Hansen, Larry Langer (2011); Starman, Nautical, D. Gerald Baker, Charles “Sonny” Brooks (2012); Daniel Marks, VMD, Seamus Brady, Steve Stephens (2013); and F. Eugene Fitz Dixon, Jr., Major General Guy Henry and I Love You (2014).
The Show Jumping Hall of Fame is located at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. Plaques honoring those who have been honored with induction into the Hall of Fame can be seen at the Horse Park’s Rolex Stadium. Mementos and artifacts from the sport’s history are on display as part of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame collection at the United States Hunter Jumper Association’s Wheeler Museum at the Horse Park.
Further information about the Show Jumping Hall of Fame, including the plaques of all previous inductees, is available on line at www.ShowJumpingHallofFame.net.